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October 29, 2014

Erin Township starts Patriotic Fund

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1914)Erin Township Council has voted to start a Patriotic Fund to assist in the war effort. Council has divided the territory and assigned members to do a thorough canvas of residents: J. Binnie in the North, E. Beswick in the East, Jos. Benham in the South and W. Jessop in the West. Welland County Council has donated $5,000 for the purchase of apples and flour for the British Government. Hastings County will send four carloads of fruit, grain, vegetables and clothing to the Belgians.

From the Advocate – 45 years ago (1969)The Advocate printed a speech on Page 1 by Energy Minister George Kerr, regarding a provincial plan to subsidize water and sewage works for small municipalities, with sufficient funding to ensure that the annual cost of sewers would not exceed $120 per household. “The Communities requiring such assistance are ones facing unusually high costs because of topography, type of soil or rock, which increases the charge for construction, or those with a small population and low assessment. It is not realistic today to permit a small community, already established for many years, to go without the necessities of pure water supply and treatment of wastes. Downstream users will benefit directly from such projects.” The Advocate noted that the funding “could be of extreme importance to Erin Village in getting underway the several proposed housing development projects.”

Mel Barden of Hillsburgh died suddenly at the age of 66, collapsing at the wheel of a truck after delivering a load of lumber with Ross McKinnon to the home of Joe Baldwin in Erin. He is mourned by his wife Lillian (Steen) and some 1,500 people paid their respects. He had served on Erin Township Council for many years, operated a garage, gas station and clothing store in Hillsburgh and was a well-known participant and judge at horse shows.

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1979)The Community Telephone Company is seeking increases that will mean rate hikes of up to 100 per cent for some customers in Erin and Hillsburgh. Jeanette Cox, president of the Committee for Better Service, said the announcement “is like pouring a can of gas on the fire” and promised vigourous opposition.

MP Perrin Beatty cut the ribbon to officially open the new Graham Fiberglass factory in Erin. The plant will provide about 100 jobs.

The signs have gone up at three locations, saying: “Erin Village protected by Block Parents”. On hand for the event were Cathy McGinnity, Erin Public School Principal Bruce Macpherson, Block Parents Chair Louise Lone, Barbara Crane and her son Robbie, Erin Councillor Evelyn O’Sullivan, Gillian Cantrell and Sharon Rolling.

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1989)In a letter to a local resident, Transportation Minister William Wrye has promised that a traffic light at Brisbane will now be on the ministry’s priority list, but Erin Township Clerk Murray Clark says the municipality had not been informed, and there’s no indication of when the work will be done. He said it would be the Township’s first traffic light. Councillor Doris Topolsek released the exchange of letters with a woman who wants to remain anonymous. The writer noted a fatal accident at the corner on September 1, and many others that have caused a public outcry. The minister said traffic and accident data show that “the requirements for traffic signals have been met”.

A proposal for a four-storey 120-unit seniors complex on Dundas Street drew strong opposition from some area residents. “I don’t want that building in my backyard,” said John Duckworth. Village planning consultant John Logan also said the location is not ideal, since any seniors facility should be closer to downtown Erin.